The Yezdi among watches
This should be recommendation enough for the cognoscenti, but for those with even a minimal curiosity about HMT watches, here are some features laid bare.
HMT makes mechanical(hand wound), automatic(kinetic) and quartz watches
Their designs are uniquely Indian in a quaintly nostalgic manner
Their most expensive offering is in the Rs 5000/ ($100) range, but most of their best watches are well below the Rs 2500 range and they go down to as little as Rs 500($10)
They last forever
They’re the only makers of mechanical(hand wound) watches in India and they also make gentlemens’ pocket watches
For years I used a Timex I’d picked up at the Hyderabad airport for around Rs 3000/. No complaints. Keeps good time and I still have it, but somehow over time it stopped giving me the kind of pleasure I was looking for as a watch lover. I started looking at options and went back to HMT. First I was delighted to note that HMT still made watches, though their distribution network is so shot to pieces, the only places you get them are company showrooms. My first HMT was a charming mechanical with the name Varun. Picked it up from a dealer in Chandni Chowk, Delhi. Shopkeeper gave me a depressing note said the company is no more and these are a few in his collection. Sold it to me without guarantee card, bill etc. Beautiful; lovely, charming piece just for Rs 600. Once I got over the shock of losing it I was pleased that it was stolen. Clearly a thief with discerning taste:)
Since then I have added two more HMTs to my collection. The first was this automatic, costing me Rs 2200/ with discount. To be honest I am not very happy with it. It looks beautiful, but the design is impractical. The crown is huge and gets easily snagged on to fabric. Once it actually ripped out and got lost. That apart and especially after I got it serviced at the service shop in Jhandewalan, New Delhi, I have been impressed with its function. On removal and replacement in case it runs on for a couple of days before stopping.
The second is the gentlemens’ pocket watch. A delight to own and use. Since I wear suits fairly regularly, I was so happy to possess this gem at an unbelievable sum of Rs 1020/. This was repaid many times over with the compliments I received when I wore it to an official evening cocktails and dinner event. One of the bigwigs complimented me on my ahem taste and asked to see the watch. He couldn’t get over it.
That’s HMT for you in a nutshell. Total value for money, timeless charm and the best part is that unlike Yezdi motorcycles, they still make HMT watches. What are you waiting for? Go out and find one for yourself. Wear it with pride, its more Indian than Mother India?